03-22-2023, 01:30 PM
(03-22-2023, 12:31 AM)F Gump Wrote: It's a tough call.
Tanking is getting more and more risky. Unless they get far enough down, all the tanking might accomplish is to give a better pick to NY. If they tank, there are some likely scenarios where they don't even make the play-in, or make the play-in and then are one-and-done, and still get no pick at all this summer.
No way will the Mavs overtake HOU, SA, or POR in a race to the bottom of the West. And the East is on track to end up with at least 5 of the top-10 picks in the draft (and Mavs have to land top 10 to get a pick).
The really frustrating thing is that the West is mostly ripe for the taking this year for a team that's any good. But with the loss of all defense and all rebounding, and the loss of Brunson too, this year's edition of Cuban's Craftsmanship is incredibly mediocre. Even against the crap competition, they still aren't reliable to win games they can and should win.
We would have to get the 9th worst record to have a very good chance of keeping our pick. Chicago is in that place right now, but is in a difficult situation because they lose their pick if isn’t in the top 4. Also interesting is New Orleans and the Lakers in 10th and 11th - the Lakers won‘t tank and the Pelicans have swap rights with the Lakers, so they could try to get in front of them without losing their position in the lottery.
I think today could be decisive - if we win we stay all-in, if we lose and especially if Kyrie or Luka were to reaggrevate their injuries we should try to lose out.